Means for packaging fruit or the like



Feb. 6, 1934. GQ'K. s. FERGUSON 1,946,315

' MEANS FOR PACKAGING FRUIT on THE um Filed May 21, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Feb. 6, I934. s, FERGUSON 1,946,315

MEANS FOR PACKAGING FRUIT OR THE LIKE Filed May 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet2 40 the like.

Patented Feb. 6, 1934 v UNITED STATES.

PATENT ori ice Y MEANS FOR PACKAGING I'BUI'I, H m LIKE George K. S.Ferguson, North East, Pa. Application Ma! 21, 1931. Seth] No. 539,101

momma. (01.229-) that when the crates are packed side by side,

they must be spaced one from the other so that air may enter betweenthem and pass into the 10 crates the same. border to maintain suchventilating flues between the crates, it is necessary to nail strips orslats to the crates in order to hold one apart from the other. This notonly adds to the cost of arranei g'the crates within freight cars or thelike, but wood crates are relatively expensive, and no means areprovided for efiectively ventilating through the crates. I Some attemptshave been made to use paper go or straw board in the construction ofprimary or main containers which take the place of the crates, but withone exception, they are not constructed to" insure adequate ventilationat all .times during transit or when stored. The exception mentioned isdisclosed in' my U. S. Patent 1,732,264, dated October 22, 1929. Thatpatent discloses improvements in the art.:'of

packaging fruit or the like, in which each primary carton is formed ofmanufactured fibrous sheet g material, and each side wall, as well asthe top and bottom of the carton are provided with relatively largeventilating openings. Secondary con-'- tainers holding'the fruit or thelike, are packed within the primary container, and 'the construction issuch that when the primary cartons containing the secondary containersare packed in closely abutting relation, either side by side or insuperposed relation, adequate ventilation is insured through the mass ofpacked fruit or The primary purpose of the present invention is toimprove the packaging means disclosed in said patent, and this ismainlybrought about by providing the interior of each primary carton 5'.with one or more vertical partitions which not only prevents the wallsandtop and bottom of the carton from'collapsing inwardly, but forms aflue within the primary carton to increase the ventilating properties ofthe construction; The to improved packaging means is of simpler ahd lessexpensive constructionthan the wood crates; the package may be shippedin knock-down condition to the pointwhere the fruit or the like is to bepacked into the same, and of course, when 65 the packages are placed ina freight car or the between the slats forming the sides of packagetaken on like. there is no necessity of nailing spacing strips to themas is absolutely essential with wood crates. As a matter of fact,manufactured fibrous sheet material: such as corrugated boardand thelike, is not of sufllcient consistency or body to hold nails, and willnot hold up under shippin Therefore, it is practically impossiblecommercially to space the castes of this material in order to allowcirculation in a loaded ith theforegolng objects outlined and with otherobjects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, theinvention consists in the novel features hereinafter described indetail, illustrated in the accompamring drawings, and moreparticularlypointedout in the appended v In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a complete package made in accordancewith the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the top flaps open 7' and with two of thesecondary containers removed in order to facilitate illustration.

Fig. i] is a transverse sectional view of the the line 3-3 of Fig.4, andwith the secondary or inner containers removed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same on the line-4'-4 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view like Fig. 3, taken through a number of thepackages after they have been placed in side by side and superposed.relations.

Referring to the drawings, 6 designates one of the packages in itsentirety. Such package is preferably formed of manufacturedfibrous-sheet material, and it comprises a primary or main cartonconsisting of side walls 7 and 8, and a top and bottom. The top andbottom is preferably formed of flaps 9 which fold inwardly from the sidewalls 8, and flaps 10 that fold inwardly from the walls 'I. Theoppositely disposed flaps 9 are relatively shorter in comparison withthe length of the carton, and when they are folded inwardly, they arecovered by the flaps 10, which flaps have at their central portions,relatively large ventilating openings 11.

(Each side wall also has a relatively large cenmay located ventilatingopening 12 which also form hand holes to facilitate the handling of thepackage.

Due to the fact that the primary carton is of manufactured fibrous sheetmaterial, it is relatively flexible, so I provide the interior with areinforcement which not alone prevents collaps-- ing, but provides aventilating flue within the primary carton. In the example illustrated,a Ion-1110 gitudinal vertical partition 13 rests on the botagainst thewalls 8, and abuts at its upper edge against the flaps forming the topof the carton. This partition is notched as indicated at 14, to interfitwith the notched portions of transverse vertical partitions 15, whichare spaced apart to provide a ventilating flue 16 withinthe carton. Theupper and lower ends of this flue communicate with the opening 11 in thetop and bottom of the carton, and the horizontal ends of the fluecommunicate with the ventilating openings 12 in the walls 7. It willtherefore be understood that air and other gases can travel up the flueor through the same transversely of the carton.

For the purpose of preventing the ends of the transverse partitions frommoving toward one another, any suitable spacing means may be provided.For instance, tongues 17 may be cut from the walls '7 where the openings12 are located in said walls, and these tongues may then be pushedinwardly to a horizontal position, as best shown in Fig. 3.

It will of course be understood that the ends of the transversepartitions preferably abut against the side walls 7, and that the topand bottom edges of these partitions abut respectively against the topand bottom of the carton.

As the longitudinal partition 13 intersects the ventilating flue, it isnecessary in order not to segregate one side'of the flue from the other,to provide an opening in the longitudinal partition. Such opening isshown at 18.

In the package illustrated, the partitionsdivide the interior of theprimary carton into four compartments for the reception of secondarycontainers 19, and in order to insure ventilation from one compartmentto the other, and the flue 16, the upper edges of the partitions arenotched as shown at 20.

The secondary containers are preferably of the type having side wallswhich diverge upwardly, for the purpose of forming horizontalpassageways 21 along the sides of the secondary containers, and thesepassageways may communicate with the interior of the secondarycontainers by means of small ventilating openings 22 in opposite sidewalls of the secondary containers.

The secondary containers are preferably of less height than the verticalpartitions to insure adequate space for fruit or the like piled abovethe upper edges of the secondary containers, and to allow for thepassage of air or gases through the ventilating notches 20. t

From the foregoing it will be understood that air entering the primarycarton through any of the openings 11 or 12 may circulate around andover the secondary containers 19 and from one compartment of the primarycarton to all of the others. Consequently, when packages of this kindare placed alongside of one another in abutting relation or when theyare piled one on the other, the ventilating openings 11 of one cartonwill register with the similar ventilating openings' 11 of the primarycartons arranged above or below the same, and of course, the ventilatingopenings 12 of'any carton will register with the similar openings ofother cartons arranged alongside of any one carton. Obviously, this willinsure circulation of air laterally through the mass of packages, aswell as upwardly through the packages, and as manufactured fibrous sheetmaterial is smooth, the walls and tops and bottoms of the cartons willsnugly engage one another so that the draft must go through the cartonsand,

cannot simply pass around the same as is the case with wooden crates.Furthermore, gases which arise from the perishable merchandise rapidlypass away, and are not confined to cause spoilage.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and advantagesof my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art,and it is apparent that changes may be made in the details disclosed,without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in theclaims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for packaging fruit or the like, comprising a primary cartonformed of manufactured fibrous sheet material and having side walls anda flat top and bottom, vertical partition means arranged in the cartonand extending from the bottom to the top and supporting the latter, saidpartition means including partitions spaced apart and arranged so as toform a ventilating flue within the carton, each of said side walls beingprovided with a ventilating opening of substantial area, and one of thespaced partitions being cut away to provide a ventilating opening.

2. Means for packaging fruit or the like, comprising a primarycartonformed of manufactured fibrous sheet material and having side walls anda flat top and bottom, vertical partition means arranged in the cartonand extending fromthe bottom to the top and supporting the latter, saidpartition means including partitions spaced apart and arranged so as toform a ventilating flue withinthe carton, each of said side walls beingprovided with a ventilating opening of substantial 110 area, and one ofthe spaced partitions being cut away to provide a ventilating opening,the edges of the spaced partitions extending into close relation toopposite side walls of said carton.

3. Means for packaging fruit or'the like, com- 5 prising a primarycarton formed of manufactured fibrous sheet material and having sidewalls and a flat top and bottom, vertical partition means arranged inthe carton and extending from the bottom to the top and supporting thelatter, said 2 partition means including partitions spaced apart andarranged so as to form a ventilating flue within the carton, each ofsaid side walls being provided with a ventilating opening of substantialarea, and the upper edge portion of one of 125 the spaced partitionsbeing notched to form a ventilating opening.

4. Means for packaging fruit and the like, comprising a primary cartonformed of manufactured fibrous sheet material and having side walls, a130 flat top and a bottom, vertical partitions arranged in the cartonand extending from the bottom to the top and supporting the latter, oneof said partitions being arranged lengthwise and others crosswise of thecarton and each partition being 135 cut away to provide a ventilatingopening, the crosswise partitions being spaced apart and so arranged asto form a ventilating flue communieating with one of said openings, andeach side wall having a ventilating opening of substantial 140 area.

5. Means for packaging fruit and the like, comprising a primary cartonformed of manufactured fibrous sheet material and having side walls, aflat top and a bottom, vertical partitions arranged 145 in the cartonand dividing the interior of the carton into a plurality ofcompartments, one of said partitions being arranged lengthwise of thecarton and others crosswise of the carton, the partitions extending fromthe bottom to the top 159 and supporting the latter, and each being cutwalls being cut away to provide an opening for away to provide aventilating opening, the crosswise partitions being spaced apart and soarranged as to form a ventilating flue communicating with one of saidopenings, each sidewall being provided with a ventilating opening ofsubstantial area, and secondary containers occupying said compartments.

6. A package comprising a container having side wall members and top andbottom members, a vent flue in said carton extending from one 0! saidmembersto another, certain of said members having ventilating openingsof substantial area communicating with said flue, one of the flue wallsbeing cut away to provide an opening for the circulation of air.

7. A package comprising a container having side wall members and top andbottom members, a yent flue in said carton extending from one of saidmembers to another, certain of said members ventilating openings ofsubstantial area communicating with said flue, one of the flue wallsbeing cut away to provide an opening for the circulation of air, atleast one wall of said flue forming a vertical reinforcement for the topmember of the carton.

8., A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said carton extending from one ofsaid members to another, certain of said members having ventilatingopenings of substantial area communicating with said flue, one of theflue walls being cut away to provide an opening for the circulation ofair, at least one wall of said flue forming a horizontal reinforcementfor opposite side wall members of the carton.

9. A package comprising a container having side wall members and top andbottom members, a vent flue in said container extending from one of saidmembersto another, the top' and bottom members being provided withventilating openings communicating with the flue, and one of the fluewalls being cut away to provide an opening for the circulation of air. 1

e 10. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said container extendingfrom one sidewall member to the opposite-side wall member, the last mentioned membersbeing provided with ventilating openings communicating with the flue,and one of the flue walls being cut away to provide an opening for thecirculation of air.

11. A package comprising a container having side walls, a top andbottom, a vent flue in said container, the top, bottom and opposite sidewalls of the carton being provided with ventilating, openingscommunicating with the flue, and one of the flue walls being cut away toprovide an opening for the circulation of air.

12. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said carton extending from one ofsaid members to another, certain of said members having ventilatingopenings otrsubstantial area communicating with said flue, one or theflue the'circulation of air, and a vertical partition arranged in thecontainer and intersecting said flue.

13. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said container extending from one ofsaid members to another of the members, the flue having opposite sidewalls, certain of said members having ventilating openings communicatingwith said flue, and tongues projecting from certain of said membersbetween the side walls of the flue for holding those walls in spacedrelation. 1

14. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said container extending from one 7of said members to another, certain of said members having ventilatingopenings communicating with said flue, one of the flue walls being cutaway to provide an opening for the circulation of air, and a verticalpartition intersecting the flue and having a notched interlock withwalls of the flue.

15. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said container extending from one ofsaid members to another, certain of said members having. ventilatingopenings communicating with said flue, one of the flue walls being cutaway to provide an opening for the circulation of air,- and a verticalpartition intersecting the flue and cut away to provide a ventilatingopening communicating with the flue.

16. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said container extending from one orsaid members'to another and dividing the interior of the container intoa plurality of charm bers, certain of said members having ventilatingopenings communicating with said flue, one of the flue walls being cutaway to provide an opening for the circulation of air, and secondarycontainers arranged within said chambers.

17. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said container extending from one ofsaid members to another and including opposite side walls, certainofsaid members having ventilating openings communicating with the flue,one of the flue walls being cut away to provide an opening for thecirculation of air, and means integral withcertain of said members forholding the walls of the flue in spaced relation.

' 18. A package comprising a container having side wall members and topand bottom members, a vent flue in said container extending from one ofsaid members to another. certain of said members having ventilatingopenings of substantial area communicating with said flue; one of theflue walls being cut away to provide an opening for the circulation ofair, the entire package being formed of manufactured flbrous sheetmaterial.

GEORGE K. S. FERGUSON.

